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From the FasterSkier archive — posts syndicated from athletes’ and coaches’ own blogs between 2004 and 2012, kept online as published. Current coverage is at fasterskier.com.

Tag: Toko Irox Flouro

  • 2011 Holiday Gift Guide: $50 – $100

    2011 Holiday Gift Guide: $50 – $100

    Drumroll please… We know you’ve been waiting all day, so without further ado here is FasterSkier’s picks for the top ten gifts priced $50 to $100 for the cross-country skier on your list this holiday season.

    Previous 2011 Holiday Gift Guide Suggestions:

    2011 Holiday Gift Guide: Under $20

    2011 Holiday Gift Guide: $20 – $50

    FasterSkier’s picks for the top ten gifts between $20 and $50:

     

    10: Swix Birkie Pack. Price: $59.95.

    10: Swix Birkie Pack. Price: $59.95.  Every skier needs a good pack for their gear, but it’s nice to find one that is versatile enough to take on a long hike or ski. The Swix Birkie Pack is that backpack. In addition to all the features that you would expect to find in a good backpack, it also has a hydration sleeve so you can stay hydrated on your long journey. Available online at Skinny Skis.

     

    09: Cross Country Skier Pendant or Pin. Price: $60.00.

    09: Cross Country Skier Pendant or Pin. Price: $60.00. Let the jewelry wearing skier on your list proudly publicize their love for our sport. Hand-carved and cast in sterling silver this one is sure to be a hit. Available online here.

     

    08: Holmenkol Steel Micro Finish Brush. Price: $90.00.

    08: Holmenkol Steel Micro Finish Brush. Price: $90.00.  The Holmenkol Steel Micro Finish Brush has ultrafine steel bristles of 0.06mm diameter that work well to clean out wax from the structure of a ski base. The steel bristles are small enough that they can get into very fine structures, but the bundles of steel fibers give the bristles enough stiffness to remove wax quickly and make fast work of brushing skis. Use it as a cleaning brush before waxing and as a first brush after waxing with paraffin waxes.  It also works well on cold-application fluoros as a light first brush.  Available online at Boulder Nordic Sport.

     

    07: Massage. Price: ~$75.00/hour.

    07: Massage. Price: ~$75.00/hour.  As we start to transition to snow we are bound to feel muscles that we forgot we had. Help the person on your list make that transition a little smoother by getting them a massage. Available at your local spa.

     

    06: Physio Stability Ball. Price: starting from ~$50.00.

    06: Physio Stability Ball. Price: starting from ~$50.00. Along with some dumbbells, a pull-up bar and a medicine ball, a Physio Stability Ball will give you a complete home gym. It can be used to make sit-ups, pushups, planks, back extensions, hamstring curls and bench press more challenging. Plus the little ‘uns will love it. Available online here.

     

    05: Yurbuds Ironman Inspire Pro. Price: $59.99.

    05: Yurbuds Ironman Inspire Pro. Price: $59.99. If the person you’re shopping for likes to work out in all weather conditions and listen to music while doing so, this one is a good pick. The Yurbuds are expensive, but water resistant so you don’t have to worry about them getting ruined by rain or sweat.  There are less expensive models, but the Inspire Pro offers a three-button control and in-line microphone which is helpful if your MP3 players is also your cell phone. Available online here.

     

    04: ibex Zepher Wind Boxer Brief. Price: $60.00.

    04: ibex Zepher Wind Boxer Brief. Price: $60.00. Hopefully we don’t have to go into why this one is a good pick. There are lots of good options out their for wind protection, but the ibex Zepher Wind Boxer Brief is probably the best choice.  The Zepher fabric is 100% New Zealand Merino wool so it is soft and won’t smell like the wind briefs made of synthetic fabrics. Available online here.

     

    03: Fast Wax Sport Glide Wax Kit. Price: $95.00.

    03: Fast Wax Sport Glide Wax Kit. Price: $95.00.  This is a good choice if you are shopping for someone whose is just getting excited about cross country skiing. This Fast Wax kit comes with every thing a beginner will need to wax their skis – less a bench. Available online at Skinny Skis.

     

    02: Overboots. Price: ~$50.00.

    02: Overboots. Price: ~$50.00.  Once you get them on you’ll wonder how you skied in the extreme cold without them. Overboots are made by almost every boot manufacture, so make sure you know which binding system the person you are shopping for uses… to be safe you might want to get the same brand as their boots. Available at your local ski shop or online at Boulder Nordic Sport, Gear West, Skinny Skis and Ski Rack.

     

    01: Travel Profile. Price: starting from ~$95.00.

    01: Travel Profile. Price: starting from ~$95.00. You don’t always have room to bring the full World Cup wax setup, so it’s useful to have a travel profile. They are also useful incase a second wax station is needed on your wax table.  Holmenkol available online at Boulder Nordic Sport.  Swix available online  at Gear West, Skinny Skis, Ski Rack and WebSkis. Toko available online at Gear West and Skinny Skis.

     

    Bonus gift ideas:

    These items just missed our top ten and deserve an honorable mention.

    – Portable Espresso Machine: Let’s face it, skiers are as into coffee as they are into wax—just ask Zach Caldwell. A portable espresso machine would be a fun gift for that tech on your list whose up early working hard to find the best wax of the day. Available at your local hardware store or online here.

    – Peet Multi Dryer: It sucks to put on cold, wet boots. Make sure the skier on your list never has to again with a Peet Multi Dryer. Available online here.


  • 2011 Holiday Gift Guide: $20 – $50

    2011 Holiday Gift Guide: $20 – $50

    Once again the FasterSkier staff has weighed in on their favorite gift ideas for the 2011 holiday season.  Today’s installment of the Holiday Gift Guide features items priced from $20 to $50.

    Previous 2011 Holiday Gift Guide Suggestions:

    2011 Holiday Gift Guide: Under $20

    FasterSkier’s picks for the top ten gifts between $20 and $50:

    10: Sauce or Skida Hat. Price: starting from $28.00.

    10: Sauce or Skida Hat. Price: starting from $28.00.  Whether you’re just looking for a little flair and individuality or a team looking to create an identity both Sauce and Skida have a selection of prints from which to choose. The FasterSkier crew prefers the fleece-lined option, but you make the call on that one. Available online at Sauce Headwear and Skida.

     

    09: Swix Garbage Bag Holder. Price: $40.00

    09: Swix Garbage Bag Holder. Price: $40.00. For the person on your shopping list who seems to have everything the Swix Garbage Bag Holder is a good choice. Tricking out your wax table is fun and helps you work more efficiently. This accessory just attaches to the edge of your work table, allowing you to just sweep the waste right into the bag. Available at your local ski shop or online at Boulder Nordic Sport and Gear West.

     

    08: Rubber Encased Dumbbells. Price: starting from ~$25.00.

    08: Rubber Encased Dumbbells. Price: starting from ~$25.00. It’s winter so the days are short and it is hard enough to find time to get out for a long ski, let alone find time to get to the gym. However, it is important to keep up with your strength work. A pair of dumbbells (or a few pairs) will let you maintain your strength though winter right in your living room. Once or twice a week, while you are watching your favorite television show, get up off the couch and do some lunges, overhead presses, rows, curls, etc. The hex shape will also allow you to do pushups on them… just don’t forget to change up your hand positions.

    These aren’t the blocks of rusty metal that you remember from high school. The ergonomically designed handle fits nicely in your hand and the weighted ends are encased in rubber incase you forget them outside. Available online here.

     

    07: Swix Iron Holder. Price: $30.00.

    07: Swix Iron Holder. Price: $30.00. If you have ever knocked your wax iron over while working on your skis then you will know why this is an important accessory. Just attach it to the edge of your wax table to give your wax iron a little nest in which to hangout while you work. Available at your local ski shop or online at Boulder Nordic Sport and Gear West.

     

    06: Toko Nordlite XCold Powder. Price: $30.00.

    06: Toko Nordlite XCold Powder. Price: $30.00. If you will be racing somewhere that has the potential of being really cold, then you should have some Toko Nordlite XCold Powder in your wax box.  This additive is used with your other cold glide wax to make it harder and more durable. Available at your local ski shop and at Gear West and Skinny Skis.

     

    05: Rubber Medicine Ball. Price: starting from ~$35.00.

    05: Rubber Medicine Ball. Price: starting from ~$35.00. Medicine Balls are probably the most useful piece of gym equipment for a cross-country skier. From kayakers to throw-downs to push-ups, they’re great.  Make sure you get rubber ones so you can use them outside in any weather condition. 6 to 8 kilograms is a good place to start depending on your strength. Available online here.

     

    04: SportHill Ranier Knee Tights. Price: $50.00.

    04: SportHill Ranier Knee Tights. Price: $50.00. There has been some debate amongst the FasterSkier team as to whether guys can/should wear these, but at very least these are a great gift for the ladies. They’re really nice for running and rollerskiing in fall/spring weather. Of course you could always just bust the rolled-up-race-suit look of a certain Team Homegrown skier… Available online here.

     

    03: SkiGo HF Kick Wax. Price: $25.00.

    03: SkiGo HF Kick Wax. Price: $25.00. If you haven’t spent time learning the SkiGo line of kick wax… what are you waiting for? Not that it is the be-all end-all wax, but it is good to have in your wax box because this stuff works.  Available online at BNS.

     

    02: Toko Digital Snow Thermometer. Price: 39.95.

    02: Toko Digital Snow Thermometer. Price: $39.95. It is easy to look at a thermometer and see what the air temperature is, but there are a lot more factors to determine the best wax of the day. What was the air temperature overnight and how quickly is the snow surface going to be warming up. A snow thermometer can help you answer these questions. There are other options to consider, but the Toko Digital Snow Thermometer is a good value. Available at your local ski shop or online at Skinny Skis.

     

    01: Foam Roller. Price: starting from ~$30.00.

    01: Foam Roller. Price: starting from ~$30.00. We recently had the pleasure of having the USST’s Liz Stephen take us through some strength exercises. She told us about how her and her teammates love these foam rollers and even travel with them in their ski bags when they are on the road. You can use them to stretch out different muscle groups or roll around on it to massage your sore muscles. Available online here.

     

    Bonus gift ideas:

    These items just missed our top ten and deserve an honorable mention.

    – Propane Torch: The person on your list might already have one, but it is probably covered in klister. Plus, they should have a backup because it might stop working right when they need it most. If they don’t have one… they should!  You can’t always rely on having electricity to apply klister or soften up base green. Available at your local hardware store or online here.

    – Body Stick: These are a great tool for injury preventing, working out lactic acid and increasing circulation to your sore muscle groups. They come in both a standard length and travel size. Available online here.

    – Toko Irox Fluoro: The Irox spray is said to offer the same resistance as tradition hot wax and at this price it’s totally worth a try. Available online here.

    – Holmenkol Pro Groove Scraper: This was in the Holiday Gift Guide last year, which is the only reason why it did not make the top ten this year.  f you already have one, get another for a backup. There are others out there, but this is the best one. Enough said. Available online here.

    – Erik Sports Snowman Junior Ski Set: This is just what the junior members of the FasterSkier team have (no, not Nat). They are an inexpensive way to introduce your future World Cup skier into the sport. Available online here.